UC Merced to allow automatic admission for many local graduating high school students
UC Merced and Merced Union High School District officials announced a joint program Monday morning to allow automatic admission to graduating students who meet certain grade criteria.
The Merced Automatic Admission Program will allow students graduating from a MUHSD campus to be automatically enrolled at UC Merced, if they have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and no grade lower than a “C.”
UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said the main motivation for having the program is to encourage local high school students to apply to college locally and make students aware of the opportunities for a higher education close to home.
“This is an opportunity to work more closely with our high school district, our individual high schools, their administration and their faculty to bring this magnificent educational option to as many students as possible,” Muñoz said.
The idea for the program was created nine months ago according to MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson.
It is a first for the nine-campus University of California system, as no other campus has a similar agreement with a local high school district. Officials with UC Merced and MUHSD made the announcement Monday during a press conference at El Capitan High.
“What is happening today may be the best news our district has ever received,” Peterson said.
In order to be considered for enrollment, MUHSD students must complete the specific graduation requirements as indicated on the district’s website.
Some of those requirements include completing four years of English and history, a minimum of three years of math, a minimum of two years science, a minimum of two years in a language, and one year of a visual and performing arts or a career technical education course.
No SAT/ACT scores are required for admission to UC Merced.
The program is only offered for MUHSD students, but eventually Muñoz hopes to make this program “a reality for more students” across Merced County.
UC Merced’s current enrollment is 9,018 students, and Muñoz said the goal is to increase enrollment by 5,000 students over the next decade. The program, he said, may help with that goal.
“Certainly more students would increase our enrollment, but also increase our interaction with the community and school districts both elementary and high school and working with them in developing young people, not just for careers beyond the region, but those who decide to stay in the area as well,” he said.
MUHSD students who meet the program’s requirements will qualify for financial aid and financial aid resources.
“We’re confident that the students that attend UC Merced will have a world-class education and we want to bring that opportunity to everyone in the valley and everyone in the country,” he said.
Students consider program
El Capitan High freshmen Jessica Ma, 14, and Michael Brown, 15, who attended Monday’s announcement, said the program already has them thinking about attending UC Merced.
Ma wants to pursue a career in neuropsychology and is looking at UC Merced’s programs.
“Going to UC Merced (would allow) us to branch out into future colleges or universities and graduate schools. So it’s really a good starting point,” Ma said.
Brown, who is interest in physical therapy or kinesiology, said he’s thankful the opportunity will be available.
Brown said it “puts his mind at ease” to know UC Merced will be an option once he graduates from high school.
“It’s a great honor for us to be able to have this privilege, since it’s so close to home and just having that safety of me being able to (get) help whenever I need it,” Brown said.
This story was originally published March 15, 2021 at 11:10 AM.